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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rush — hurry
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rest — what's left
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bound — certain
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pop — soda
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bound — obliged
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rest — a break
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bound — tied together
  24. mouse — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com